Fantastic Beasts and Why It Is Necessary to Understand Our Relationship-Animal Companionship under Challenging Circumstances Using the Example of Long-Covid.

Abstract

Simple SummaryOur society seems to generate the general belief that caring for animals has a positive effect on the well-being of humans, which often creates unrealistic expectations in pet owners. Since there are contradictory results that underline the stressful features of the human–animal relationship, it seems to be highly relevant to investigate this phenomenon in more detail. The present study tries to examine how external stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic as well as Long-Covid influence the biopsychosocial wellbeing of animal caregivers. The results demonstrate a gap between the subjectively experienced meaning of pets in the context of the pandemic, which is positive throughout, and the calculated findings from several psychometric instruments indicating that animal companionship might be seen as an additional burden in times of crisis. These results underline the existence of the so called “pet-effect paradox” which emphasizes the mismatch between pet owners’ individual perception regarding the importance of an animal and the measurable findings in research. Further research is needed to understand the underlying dynamics in more detail and to prevent false expectations in connection with the human–animal relationship.Studies in the field of human–animal interaction tend to highlight the positive results of the influence of animals on humans, which supports the popular belief that the human–animal bond positively affects humans’ well-being (“pet-effect”). Nevertheless, contradictory results exist that seem especially visible since the COVID-19 pandemic, a prominent external stressor. Despite critical findings, individuals seem to want to believe in the beneficial effects of the human–animal relationship (“pet-effect paradox”). Based on this background, the present study aims to investigate this phenomenon using a mixed-method design. Therefore, animal caregivers were surveyed online and compared using psychometric measurements and open-ended questions. In this context, a special focus was placed on the additional stressor of Long-Covid and related concerns. The results demonstrate once more the existence of the “pet-effect paradox” due to a contradiction in the quantitative and qualitative results. At a quantitative level, the findings show additional burdens on animal caregivers who are confronted with multiple loads. However, the qualitative results indicate a belief in the beneficial effects of pets at the biopsychosocial level. Additionally, the data demonstrate a shift in focus away from the environment to oneself when affected by Long-Covid, which might affect the ability to care for an animal.